Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-04-16
OUR NEW NAVY.
Thsseoretazy of the Navy Advertising SOa |

The Secretary OF the Navy Advertising foz
Bids 10 Build Five New GunbOats.
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 6.-Ths score
tsry Of the navy to-day invited sealed pro
posals from the ship builders OF the United
states for building i've new vessels.
The first Of th=ss vessels for the con
structiOn of which bids are solicited is the
Newark a 400 ton cruiser, authorized u
be built by the act OF March g.
1887. Proposals were received for this vessel
last year, but the lowest bid exceeded thu
limit OF cost, SLIGO, OOO5 named IN the act
At It's last session congress increased thi
limit to 81, 100000. Proposals for ths con.
6tEuctIOn of this cruiser will be received
from all American ship build ers whose shiB
yards are fully equipped Tor building or re-
pairing iron or steel steamships and con
tractors Of marine engines machinery and
boilers. Next named IN the advertisement
are cruisers No. 4 and 5. Provision for
their construction Is made in the naval ap-
preparation bill which viii 20 into effect
next July. All Of their parts are required to
be Of domestic manufacture, and the con
tractor IS required to guarantee in either
case maximum speed of nineteen knobs
an hour. For ever quarter knot OF speed
exhibited above that guarantee the con-
tractor Is to receive a premium OF Sc, 900
over and above his contract price, anu fOE
every quarter knot deficiency IN speed $780,
OOU IS 70 be deducted from the contract
price. The conditions OF Lhe test are pre-
scr1b5d by the department In addition to
the vessel named proposals are invited for
and 4. They Rrs to be 1000 ton vessels Of
the type of gunboat No. /, nov building
at Cramps works, in Philadelphia,
which Is regarded as one Of the
most formidable sloOps of war Of
modern times. In the case of these gun
boats and of the nineteen knot cruisers Nos.
4 and 3, proposals will be received from
| every American ship builder and other per
son who shall show to the satisfaction OF
the secretary Of the navy that within three
months from the date OF the contract he
Will be possessed OF the necessary plant
for the performance Of the work IN tbs
United States which he shall offer to under
take. The evidence thus required must
accompany the proposals or be submitted
to the department IN advance. Il is also re-
quired that one of the vessels shall be
built on or near the coast of the Pacific
| ocean or the waters connecting there
/ with; one Of them on or near
| the coast Of the Gulf Of Msxicc
or the waters connecting Herewith and
two Of them on or near the coast OF the At
lanhC ocean or waters connecting herewith
| and at such places on or near such coasts OF
waters as the secretary shall approve, and
that II it shall appear to the satisfaction OF
| the President Of the United States from tbs
biddings for said contracts thas said YES
/ sells cannot be constructed At q fair cost on
or near the coast OF the Pacific ocean or the
/ Gulf Of Mexico, he shall authorize the con
/ structiOn Of said vessels or either Of them
/ elsewhere IN the United States. All of the
| vessels are to be Of tins best and most modem
/ design, having the highest at
tainable speed. Plans and specifications,
/ appropriate forms of proposals and general
forms Of contract for each vessel will be pre-
pared by tbs department and may be seen
and examined on and after June 1. Mean
while information as to the general charaC-
tsr1stIcs can be obtained at any time.